I'm a relatively inexperienced Monsterhearts MC, with only two games under my belt. They were both successful, but in both I was fairly reliant on the advantages of actually being at the table. Namely, being able to look at/listen to my players and judge level of involvement and being able to swiftly shift focus with 'What do you do' questions.

I've been part of a good number of IRC games in the past and run a few. However, I've had a tougher time running tight scenes in that medium. Similarly, the back and forth with questions seems to lag a bit more when typing at one another. I realize Google Hangouts are a possible way of overcoming this, but for the moment I'm looking for solutions in a more text based medium. This is just for a one or two shot, so there's not much riding on it, but I want to make sure I give the full Monsterhearts experience.

So does anyone have any thoughts on which bits of MC advice still work great in a text-based, laggier, environment and which may need adaptation?

Specifically, I'm wondering whether running two different channels at once is a good idea or a distraction? I am intending to run with secrets being out in the open, minimal /msg talk and the like either way. If I went that approach, I'd have everyone in both channels, although sometimes everyone's characters may all be in one channel.

I don't need answers specifically to that question; I'd value any insight people had from Monsterhearts in other media.